Ueno Ken
(also credited as 上野ケンhttp://animatorscorner.com/staff_profile/1467) is an animation supervisor, key animator and character designer working on the various Pretty Cure anime series and movies. He was the character designer for the Heartcatch Pretty Cure! movie, the Doki Doki! Pretty Cure movie and the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! movie. He has been working in key animation and animation supervision for Pretty Cure since 2010 and has been employed by Toei Animation since 1990. History Ueno was born January 7, 1962, in the Iwate prefecture. In the past, he also lectured at Toei Animation Institute. After graduating from animation university, he worked at an animation studio located in Ōizumigakuen. He produced in-between animation at first, then key animation and animation supervision afterwards and worked as a freelancer for several years. In 1986, he worked for Studio Hibari. He also did freelance work for Studio Sunrise, Studio AIC and Studio Deen. After Toei Animation's Utsunomiko: Heaven Chapter OVA (1990) for which Ueno produced Key Animation and also worked as an Animation Supervisor, he was permanently employed at Toei Animation. He did the character design for the Mamotte Shugogetten anime (1998) and for GeGeGe no Kitaro (2007). Since 2010, he is heavily involved in Key Animation and Animation Supervision for Pretty Cure. https://www18.atwiki.jp/sakuga/pages/1627.html His animation is known for energetic expressions and for its thick and yet refined linework. His character design features impeccable fashion sense, his Cure Mofurun design especially striking for its refreshing take on Cure concept norms. He was described as "one of Toei’s invaluable animation assets" by Sakuga Blog – The Art of Japanese Animation''https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2017/02/18/anime-staff-rundown-february-march-2017/. More details about his work on the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! movie were shared in an interview in Animage's Pretty Cure issue (2016). Work in ''Pretty Cure Transformation/BANK *Pretty Cure! Smile Charge! - Cure Peace (sub animator, with the main animator being Yamamoto Sawako). He specifically animated her "Rock Paper Scissors"-Game. *Happiness Charge Pretty Cure! Episode 01 - Stardust Shoot *Star☆Twinkle Pretty Cure Episode 22 - Color Charge! (5 Cures version) Gallery Character Design Samples Bg tsubomi (2).jpg|Cure Blossom in the Heartcatch Pretty Cure! movie Bg erika (2).jpg|Cure Marine Bg itsuki (2).jpg|Cure Sunshine Bg yuri (2).jpg|Cure Moonlight Ddpc.movie.heart.prof.png|Cure Heart in the Doki Doki! Pretty Cure movie Ddpc.Mathew.prof.png|Matthew in the Doki Doki! Pretty Cure movie Young Haruka preview.jpg|Young Haruno Haruka Asahina_Mirai_Festival_Movie_BD.jpg|Mirai's festive dress in the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! movie (adapted from an illustration by a kid that won the "design a dress for the movie" contest) Izayoi_Riko_Festival_Movie_BD.jpg|Riko's dress (also based on the contest winner's illustration) Hanami Kotoha Festival Movie BD.jpg|Kotoha's dress (see above) Cure Mofurun - Dia style.png|Cure Mofurun Dia Style Cure Mofurun - Ruby style.png|Ruby Style Cure Mofurun - Sapphire style.png|Sapphire Style Cure Mofurun - Topaz style.png|Topaz Style DarkMatter.png|Dark Matter Ueno Mofurun concept art.jpg|Concept art of Cure Mofurun Interviews Ueno1.jpg|Interview with Ueno about the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! Movie http://animage.jp/info/1330/ Ueno2.jpg|Page 2 Ueno3.jpg|Page 3 Ueno4.jpg|Page 4 Artwork HCPCMoviePoster2.jpg|''Heartcatch Pretty Cure!'' Movie Poster Ddpc.officialart.adultmana.jpg|Promo art for the Doki Doki! Pretty Cure movie MahouTsukaiMoviePromoArt.jpg|Promo art for the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! Movie MTPC movie - end card.png|''Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure!'' Movie End Card Episode Screenshots SPC46.Rhythm.Melody.PNG|SPC46 - One of Ueno's early episodes. Cure Peace Rock Paper Scissors (Scissors).jpg|Cure Peace's "Rock, Paper, Scissors" game (ending in scissors) Jankenpon.jpg|Cure Peace's "Rock, Paper, Scissors" game (ending in paper, with Akaoni losing) Ep29.march.baseball.png|SmPC29 - Perspective shot SmPC39YayoiWand.png|SmPC39 - Ueno's distinctive way of drawing eyes ThunderBlizzard.PNG|SmPC47 - Notable lineart Dkp12-mana01.jpg|DDPC12 - Mana as a prince Marmo.ira.regina.jpg|Team Jikochuu posing in DDPC19 HCPC06 - Ribbon has enough.JPG|Ribbon's expression in HCPC06 Ionashocked.jpg|HCPC23 - Iona being called a cheapskate They are here for the Pajama Party.jpg|Everyone reuniting for a pajama party in HCPC44 HCPC44 Pajama party Hime excited.png|HCPC44 - Hime excited to party GPPC01 Dress Up Key reacts to Haruka's dream.png|GPPC01 - Perspective shot Kirara is here!.jpg|GPPC05 - Notable lines Flora freaks out.png|GPPC05's expressions and lines Close Anrgy.jpg|Close in GPPC11 HeadingtoTown.jpg|GPPC23 - Dragging Towa along CuresAdmiringTowa.jpg|GPPC23 - Everyone admiring Towa ShockedHarukacantbeaprincess.jpg|GPPC38 - Disturbed Haruka 1462060005740.jpg|Batty in MTPC13 Girlsinriver.jpg|Expressions in MTPC13 MTPC movie - Riko detransformed.png|Riko detransformed in the Mahou Tsukai Pretty Cure! Movie MTPC movie - Kotoha with fruit.png|Kotoha suspicious of the fruit MTPC movie - Mofurun determined to save Mirai.png|Mofurun running to save Mirai MTPC movie - Not a dream.png |Mirai and Cure Mofurun's goofy expressions MTPC movie - Riko woken up by fruit.png|Riko woken up by the smell of the fruit MTPC movie - Cure Mofurun hug attack.png|Perspective shot of Cure Mofurun MTPC movie - Ruby defense 2.png|Cure Mofurun's Ruby form in action MTPC movie - Cure Mofurun Topaz defense 1.png|Cure Mofurun's Topaz form in action MTPC movie - Cure Mofurun Heartful Full Full Linkle 2.png |Heartful Style KKPCALM 05 Ichika expression.png|Expressions in KKPCALM05 KKPCALM 05 Yukari lines.png|Linework in KKPCALM05 KKPCALM 14 Firy eyes.png|Expressions in KKPCALM14 HuPC17 Yell throws a punch at Ruru.png|HuPC17 - Yell vs Ruru STPC01 Fuwa bumps into Hikaru's head.jpg|STPC01 Cure Soleil during the group pose.jpg|STPC22 - Updated Color Charge! References Category:Staff Category:Animation Directors Category:Key Animators Category:Character Designers